BERLIN -- Visiting Premier Li Keqiang said here on Oct 10 that he is confident in the further economic growth of his country.

He made the remarks at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel after they co-chaired the third round of bilateral governmental consultations.

The premier, with a doctorate in economics, attributed his optimism mainly to Beijing’s resolve to further restructure the Chinese economy and open wider to the rest of the world.

China will accept a pace of growth around the 7.5 percent target -- either slightly higher or lower -- as long as it leads to adequate employment, income increase and innovation-driven development, he added.

Although the global economic recovery is rife with new uncertainties, Li noted, trade and economic cooperation between China and Germany has remained robust.

China hopes to join hands with the rest of the world to boost free trade and facilitate investment so as to overcome difficulties in global economic growth, he said.

China will also make its market more accessible to foreign companies and encourage grassroots entrepreneurship and mass innovation, said Li, promising to grant national treatment to all companies and make earnest efforts to protect intellectual property rights.